Collapsible and extensible roof for open-top railway-cars, &amp;c.



R. DAVIS 6a J. J. KAIN. E AND BXTENSIBLROOF FOR OBEN TOP RAILWAY GARS,c.

ooLLAPsIBL AYPLIGATION FILED JULY 25, 1910.

Patented Jan. 16,1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE- i' WILLIAM R. DAvIsAND JoI'IN J. KAIN, orMAYsvILLn KENTUCKY.

coLLArsIBLE ANI) EXTENSIBIQE nomi` Fon OPEN-Tor RAILWAY-CARS, am.

To all 'whom z't may concern.'

Be :it known that-we, WILLIAM R. DAVIS and JOHN J. KAIN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Maysville, in the county of Mason and Stateof Kentucky, have 1nvented certain new and -useful Improve# I. ments inCollapsible ,and-Extensible Roofs lar receptacles; and the object of ourinvention is ,to provide an improved roof-oll the type speciiied .thesame being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in thefollowing specification, and particularly claimed in t-he clauses of theconcluding claim.

In the drawing; Figure l is a view showing in perspective the body of anopen top railway ear with our improved roof applied thereto; Fig. 2 is aview taken upon a plane normal to the roof and intersecting the samealong the line'2-2 Fig. 1, showing three sections of the roof in theirextended condition; Fig. 3 is a view taken upon a plane extendinglongitudinally of a roof section and at right angles thereto asindicated by the line 3 3 Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken upon aparallel plane indicated by ,the

line 4 4 Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the sectionscollapsed.

In the drawing, 1 is the body of an open top railway car.

VThe characters 2 represent a series of -plates whlch, when extended,form a roof for the car, itbeing preferable to employ two such roofs asare described and shown, one secured to eaclgl end of the car and whichroofs, when. exten ed, meet at the center of the car. A more compactroof for theentire car 1s thus procured, andv one whlch'may be moreeasily manipulated. However, heremafter and 1n the clauses of the clalm,

the term roof is used with reference to.

one.only of 'thetwo sections above contemplated. j

rlhe plates 2 abovle referred to extend entirely across the caro bodyand over the .upper edges 'of the sides/far enough to carrySpecification of Letters Patent. r Ptented'Jan. 16,1912. Application ledIu1y'25, 1910. Serial No. 578,661.

water over the edges as will be understood, and said plates althoughcapable of moving with reference to one another as will here` inafterappear are permanently secured tgether so that they collectively form aunitary roof structure. The said plates, after the first or one at theleft, are capable of being moved into a position such that each overliesthe next precedingl plate of the series, all the plates, whe.`-.'j"`hus, collapsed, being piled in'a vertical column as shown at theright, Fig'. l. The plates 2 are preferably curved slightly in thedirection of their length, so that water will quickly run ofi.' them.The lef-t hand plate 2, being the first of the series, is secured to theend of .the car body by means of hinges 3, and 4 are brackets secured tothe ends of the car body. It willbe obvious. that -the plates whencollapsed may be permitted to rest upon the ends ofthe sides of the caras sl1oWn,-or may as a Whole' be turned about the, hinges 3 through 90land permitted to rest u pon the brackets, each method of support havingadvantages peculiar to itself.

Guides are provided for securing smoothness of operation of the plates 2as the roof is extended or'collapsed. These guides extend substantiallythe entire width of the plates 2 and as many rows or lines of guideswill be used as 'is thought desirable, two such rows being shown in theroof illustrated. These guides are made up of cooperating guide members5, G, the member 5 having converging side flanges 7 and the member 6Vhaving diverging,l side flanges 8, which flanges 7 and 8 engage oneanother in the manner illustrated in thesectional views, F lgs. 3 and 4,whereby guidel'sare produced wliiyh are free to move lover vine a'notherin a direction longitudinally of the roof, but which are otherwiserestrained from movement.' Each plate'2, except the first and last ofthe series, will have a guide upon both its upper and lowersurfaces asshown.

The edges of the plates' 2' arebent substantially at right angles to'ythe plate to form flanges 9, 10, and flanges 9 and 10 of adjacentplates will move'into positions as close as possible to one anotherwithout the guides 5, 6 becoming disengaged. Stops 1l. will preferablybe employed to prevent the guides 5, G from becoming separated, and apart of the guide 5 will be turned up, as shown at 12, or solne otherform of stop will-be use to prevent the guidesfrom runfact thatthe-ro'owhen Icollapsed occupies but little space and that'it is thensecurely supported at. the, ends of the car enables an open car equippedwith our invention to remain open when used to, transport goods whichneed not be protected from the Weather'andwhenso,used the .roof is notsubjected lto wear and tear.

Havingthus described our invention and explained-the operation thereof,We claim and desire"tq secure byL'etters APatent :1

l.' In .an extensible and collapsible roof for cars .and similarvehicles, an open top car body; a series of plates permanently securedtogether' and of. suticient length to extend across the car body andeach plate after the first of the series being capable of being movedinto a position such that it' overlies the next preceding plate, saidplates when extended being adapted to form a root` for the car; andseries of guides each comprising U-shaped section one secured to theupper and one to the lowerv surface of said plates, the guide upon-theupper surface ofa plate being in engagement with the guide-upon-thelower surface 'of the next vfollowing plate of the series whereby saidplates are maintained in proper relation as the roof is extended or.collapsed.

2. In an extensible and collapsible roof for'cars and similar'vehicles,an open top carbody; a series of plates permanently secured together andof suiiicient length to extend across the 'car body and each plate:after the first of the series being capable of being' moved into aposition such that/it overlies the nextpreceding plate, said plates whenextended being adapted'to'form a roof for the car, and the. edges ofsaid' plates being bent in opposite directions and substantially.

at right angles to the plate to thereby form fianges; and guides secured:to adjacent plates of said series of plates and iii-,engagement withone another for maintaining said plates in proper relation with oneanother as the roof is extended or collapsed.

.- In testimony whereof we alix our signas tures in presencey of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM R. DAVIS.

1Witnesses as to William R. Davis z'A LOUIS ZECH, EARL LAY. l

Witnesses as to John J.' Kain:

EDNA LEONARD, i R. M. WALLINGFORD.

